Amidst destruction on the mainland, the two locomotives Min?r and Pion?r transported wagons full of rock and gravel to the Icelandic seaside during the construction of the Reykjav?k harbour in 1913- 1917. The two metallic giants ushered in a new age in Iceland. However, soon after construction ceased the two trains were parked and have never driven?since. Min?r is on display near the waterfront and Pion?r stands lifeless in an outdoor museum on a hill. They are the only trains ever to have graced the Icelandic landscape. Now they only serve to remind us of the grandeur of a bygone future. At the dawn of the 21st century – again, tumultuous times – we allow ourselves to dream of new Min?rs and Pion?rs capable of pulling the tremendous weight of the past strewn all around us and putting it towards constructing an ambitious future.
